Category: recipe

Texas-Style Paleo Cobbler

Published on by Matthew Albracht Nourish Your Self Whole1 Comment

Cobbler

A lower-carb alternative to a classic family recipe

This recipe is a fantastic alternative for a healthier dessert. A light and fluffy dream.

Growing up, my mom and granny made the most delicious fruit cobbler for many of our family gatherings. It’s a cherished memory and is still one of my favorite desserts. I decided to work on a modified alternative that was still as good but more paleo and low-carb friendly. I finally found the sweet spot with this recipe!  (I can’t even lie and say it was rough work doing all the testing to perfect it 🙂

Cobbler recipe
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There are two main styles of cobbler. One is the “crumble,” which I’m not a big fan of.  Another type, which I much prefer, has a thicker and more bready style of crust. This recipe falls into the second camp. It is similar to a biscuit, but moister, a little more towards a bread pudding.

My favorite fruit for it is plum. The contrast of the slightly tart with the sweet is off the charts good. I use fresh plums when they are in season.  It also works well with peaches.  Strawberry/rhubarb or cherries are another favorite. Fresh fruit always works well, but frozen works just fine too.

Whole Cobbler Cobbler piece

Recipe

5 servings – Prep time: 15 minutes. Cook Time: 40 minutes.

INGREDIENTS:

½ cup cassava flour
½ cup almond flour
¾ cup coconut milk
1 egg (optional, gives more rise & sponginess, use full cup coconut milk if not used)
½ cup sugar (coconut sugar or cane sugar)
6 Tbsp. butter (¾ stick, grass-fed preferable – coconut oil can be used as alternative)
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups cut fruit (Fresh or frozen. My favorites are: plums, peaches, tart cherries, or strawberry/rhubarb combo)
Topping: 1 small can coconut cream (whip it up as directed on the can)

PREPARATION:

In a skillet or pan, bring 2 cups cut fruit, butter, maple syrup and 1 teaspoon vanilla to a gentle, bubbling boil until fruit is softened (will be rather juicy by the end). Whisk together dry ingredients. Mix in coconut milk, egg and second teaspoon of vanilla. Pour fruit into a 10-inch (approx.) ceramic or glass baking dish. Pour the batter evenly over softened fruit mixture.

Cook at 350 degrees until done, about 40-50 minutes. Top should be lightly golden brown (the breading will remain partly moist internally, however).

Special notes: 1. Double ingredients for more servings. 2. You can substitute any gluten free flour for the cassava or almond.

Cobbler recipe
Download and print .pdf Recipe Card

Delicious Chocolate Chip Spice Cookies – Low-carb Paleo

Published on by Matthew Albracht Nourish Your Self WholeLeave a comment

Chocolate Chip CookiesEver since I changed my eating habits towards a much healthier lower carb, lower sugar paleo style diet, I’ve been looking for occasional dessert treats that are healthier but still delicious and satisfying. I’ve found some nice chocolate chip cookie recipes over the years, but I’ve finally perfected one myself that I really love!

This is a mouth watering treat. The cookies are soft and tender on the inside, flaky on the outside. They’re not overly sweet, but hit just the perfect spot.

The base in these cookies is almond flour/meal. The good news about this flour is that it has about 1/3 the carbs that wheat does.  Wheat clocks in over 75 grams per cup vs. about 22g for almond flour. Let’s not be too crazy by calling this a full-on health food, but it’s certainly a healthier alternative for the occasional treat. Try them out!

Delicious Chocolate Chip Spice Cookies
(Lower-carb, Gluten Free, Egg Free, Dairy Free*, Paleo Friendly)

Prep time: 10 minutes. Cook Time: 10 minutes.
Organic and grass-fed ingredients always preferred.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups almond flour or meal (blanched preferred, any will do)
1/4 cup butter, ghee or *coconut oil (your choice)
3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Whisk together all the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
3. Add in pre-softened or melted oil/butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix thoroughly.
4. Fold in chocolate chips.
5. Spoon out a rounded tablespoon sized amount. Roll and lightly compress in your hands. Place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper (optional) and gently flatten out.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the outside edges turn golden brown. Let sit for about 10 minutes and enjoy!

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Raw cookies, slightly flattened prior to baking.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Finished cookies.

 

Sunday Morning Smoothie Recipe!

Published on by Matthew Albracht Nourish Your Self WholeLeave a comment

This paleo friendly smoothie is silky and delightful.

Veggie and fruit smoothies can be a great way to get a nutritional kick-start to your day. They are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients, fiber, healthy fats and protein (if using powders). All crucial elements to living a vibrant life.

In my smoothie recipes, I typically go with about three quarters vegetable and one quarter fruit (no need to overdo it on the sugar). It’s easy to make and gives me a nice, clean, healthy boost of energy. Has all that I need to get rolling.

RECIPE:

(Makes substitutes as desired or needed. All organic ingredients. I don’t use protein powders, but they can be a great addition.)

1 zucchini
1/4 avocado
1/2 endive
radicchio (handful)
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
3/4 cup frozen mango
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup coconut water
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt

Blend, pour and imbibe.

Delicious Pumpkin Custard, Paleo and Gluten Free

Published on by Matthew Albracht Nourish Your Self WholeLeave a comment

This pumpkin custard recipe makes a great lower carb paleo alternative to pumpkin pie.  It’s really decadent while also a nutrient dense, healthy dessert treat. The custard still has a similar consistency to the “meat” of pumpkin pie, without the crust – though it’s lighter, fluffier and more silky.

Paleo Pumpkin Custard
Servings: 6-8 ramekins (either 6 or 8 ounce size)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45

Ingredients:

1-15oz canned organic puree pumpkin (or 2 cups fresh roasted pumpkin, sugar pie pumpkins have best flavor)
4 large eggs (use 2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks*)
½ cup full fat coconut milk
1/3 cup organic maple syrup, or coconut sugar, or Lakanto’s Monkfruit no-sugar alternative sweetener
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg (plus extra for dusting)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon Celtic or Himalayan sea salt
Optional: coconut cream for “whipped cream” and chunks of dark chocolate

Instructions:

  1. In a food processor combine pumpkin puree, and eggs (just enough, don’t overmix)
  2. Pulse in coconut milk, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla extract, nutmeg, ginger and salt
  3. Place empty ramekins into a deep cookie sheet or baking pan
  4. Pour filling into ceramic ramekins until almost full (leave about 10% empty space for rising)
  5. Pour boiling water around the ramekins in baking dish, try to cover at least ¼ ideally ½ of the height of your ramekins
  6. Lightly dust top of each filled ramekin with nutmeg
  7. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until a knife or toothpick comes out relatively clean
  8. Allow to cool then refrigerate for 2 hours to set up

For whipped cream alternative: Take a can of coconut cream (not milk) and chill it for at least a few hours, overnight ideal.  Whip it until frothy, like you would regular whipped cream.  Doesn’t take as long to whip.  Add in a small amount of vanilla before whipping as desired.

To roast your own pumpkin: Buy a small sugar pie pumpkin. Cut it in half.  Scoop out seeds. Turn them face down on cookie sheet and bake for approx. 1 hour at 350 degrees.  You want the pumpkin flesh to be very soft.

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